The Boy loves to climb all the things and hike all the things and generally be outside doing and seeing all the things.   In the past 3 years, those things have been a bit tamer thanks to Mini, however we’ve still strapped him in a backpack and ventured out.   However there are still some times where we simply should not bring him along.  One of those was on a walking safari to trek for a rhino. [Ed. Note: We’ve been super lucky with rhinos this trip. Every drive – rhinos everywhere. But they said we could go for a hike and get up close and personal with a rhino! Sounds like fun!]

Initially I was worried.   The lodge promised babysitting when we booked which seemed like  good back up plan 2 years ago not knowing the temperament of a toddler…Mini is the ultimate trooper and so as the trip drew closer we didn’t expect to utilize this service, but since the walking safari would only happen during nap time, it felt like a fair trade off to be able to go ourselves and hope the majority of the time resting trumped stranger danger.   

I should not have worried.   Mini was elated to have someone new to play with after a week and a half traveling with us and a week and a half lockdown before leaving to ensure we could actually pass negative COVID tests and leave (plus the tiny matter of his surprise head wound with stitches we had to add in there).  We had barely caught the nanny’s name and given her instructions on nap time when Mini quite literally shoved Boy out the door to leave.  Okay, so we’re off on an adult only adventure walk for the first time in at least 4 years…what do we talk about?!

The ranger drove us far into the bush and then got us out of the Land Rovers for instructions: don’t talk, don’t shout, definitely don’t run, stay behind the men with exceptionally large rifles, and try not to die.   Suddenly I felt sure I was back in Australia where everything wants to kill you, but having heard the jaws of those lions tear into the eland yesterday, I had a much healthier sense of fear.  

We trekked single file down the side of the brush, stopping every few minutes to find a bird or a plant or a bug.  While these are interesting to learn about and see up so close, I had 2 hours of babysitting to maximize here — I wanted to find the good stuff!  Onward we continued, winding along the South bank of the river where the rhino was last spotted.   I learned about the elephant dung (which the rangers just picked up in their hands and examined…yuck, and MORE plants and bugs, until suddenly we had a sighting!

In the clearing, very quietly, we all crept up and circled him to have a better view.   Everyone was silent so you could hear his sounds of distress.   The wild hissing tortoise had been spotted and we were only feet away. [Ed. Note: cuddly, but not as cuddly as some other animals…]  We crept in close for a photo while one ranger across from me scanned the brush, rifle in hand to avoid any surprises.

Suddenly, I felt the sharp claw behind me and froze.   It was too late however.  I had backed right up to it stepping away from the other guest’s shot.   I would suffer this consequence for sure.   And as we trekked back to the car from here, walking safari over with no rhino, I walked a bit slower thanks to the large thorn stuck right into my butt.